Easter Hope

Gracious and Redeeming God,

We who are poor sinners, come to you this morning with thankful hearts. Because of Christ’s victory over sin and death we are drawn into your presence. We acknowledge that there is no hope for us in this world save Christ. All is lost without him.

For this reason we wish you lay our souls at your feet. We ask that the conquest of his cross would be ours. We desire that his empty tomb would be our life.

We know that we have erred and greatly sinned against you. We have lived in accordance with our father Adam, and we have betrayed you like Eve, our mother. Despite our better judgment, we have run off into sin. Indeed our sin is so frequent that our consciences often fail to feel the sting of sin’s guilt.

But yet in our hearts we hear our condemnation. And we bow before our judge to ask for mercy and pardon. We know that those who come to you will by no means be cast out. So we come to you with full assurance of your pardoning grace.

Moreover we are so bold to ask that you might cleanse us from sin. Just as Christ left his grave clothes in the tomb, we pray that we would leave our lives of sin. We pray that you would put to death the misdeeds of the body and create within us new obedience and new life.

Let us not glory in that which is wretched, but let us cling to what is good and pure. Give us hearts to seek your will and the zeal to perform it.

In all things we pray that the world might know that we serve a living Savior and a glorified king. We ask that your work might be accomplished in us for the glory of your name.

For it is in the name of the resurrected Christ that we do pray. Amen.

Sinners Indeed

Almighty and Merciful God,

As we come before you this morning we wish to acknowledge ourselves for who we are. We are sinners, utterly unable to submit to your will in any way without you.

We confess that we are evil and inclined toward every sort of wickedness. And the sole reason we do not fly headlong into the grossest of evils is because your hand is there to restrain us.
Indeed you have protected us from many evils already. We know that we have life and breathe today only because you have not treated us as our sins deserve. Lord, we thank you for your mercy, and we thank you for your long suffering. Moreover we thank you for turning our hearts toward you. For we know that we would never have even a sense of our sin without you.

And it is because we have this sense of sin that we turn to you this morning. You are good, and worthy of all honor and praise, but we have not given you’re the homage you deserve. Therefore we bow ourselves before you with contrite hearts. And we wish to ask you to pardon us for our transgressions.

Forgive us for not seeking the things of Christ. Forgive us for rebelling against your dominion and rule. Like the Israelites of old you pledged yourself to us. In kindness you brought us into your covenant, and promised to protect us and be our guide. But we have not submitted to your government or listened to your word. Forgive us Lord for our childish behavior, and be not angry with us.

But instead subdue our hearts. Conquer us with your mighty power, and make us to love your reign. Make us to find delight in your law and help us to take pleasure in what pleases you.

We pray that you might also bind that wretched Satan. We ask that you might restrain him and keep him from tempting us. We do not pardon ourselves by blaming the devil, but we do acknowledge his role in leading us astray. Our souls are so weak that we cannot resist him in and of ourselves. So we pray that you might keep him far from us and far from our children.

In all things we pray that you might order our lives so that you might receive all glory and honor. For this we ask in Jesus’ Name. Amen

Practical Atheism

Gracious and Forgiving God,

Your abundant grace has been manifested to us every day. Your kindness and mercy have overflowed heaven’s gates and descended upon us. Because of it we have thrived and blossomed like the spring flowers. Not one thing has been withheld from us, but we have received a boundless portion of good things.

We acknowledge that we have been given much, and therefore much is required of us. That is why we bow our heads before you this morning.

We have not sought to glorify you with glad hearts, nor have we given you the thanks that you deserve. We have been forgetful of your many kindnesses and we have not acknowledged your favorable presence in our lives. Much to our shame we have acted like God-deniers. We have mimicked the atheists of the world by our lack of love and homage.

Lord, forgive us for not loving you with all of our heart, mind and strength. Forgive us for not duly recognizing our blessed estate as your covenant people. We know that we have incurred much guilt because of this, more than those you have not covenanted with. And we understand how our unfaithfulness provokes you to wrath. But we pray that you would not hold these wicked sins against us.

Moreover, we ask that you might renew our minds and transform our hearts. Though you are unseen, we ask that you might help us to perceive you with they eyes faith. May your presence be more real to us than our hardened hearts now admit.

Give us the heart of Christ, whose eyes were ever set upon you. And compel our souls to regard your infinite majesty and glory.

For we ask this in the Name of the One who died and rose again. Amen

CRF Missionary Jamie Thornton

CRF is dedicated to the fulfilment of the great commission. Therefore we prayerfully and financially support Jamie and Julia Thornton as they minister in the Ukraine. Below you will find a brief bio. of the Thorntons. You may also follow their work at http://thorntonsinukraine.blogspot.com/index.html.

Jamie became a Christian at a church youth retreat in 1988. He grew through discipleship and the ministry of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF) while studying engineering at the University of Toledo.

His call to missions came during his first short-term missions trip to Russia in 1992, where he saw a people without hope and knew the gospel was the only remedy. It was also on this trip that he met Julia. Julia was born and raised in Russia. She became a Christian just prior to the break-up of the former Soviet Union in 1991. They were married in 1996.

In preparation for the mission field, Jamie and Julia went to seminary after they were married. Jamie has a M. Div. and is ordained in the Presbyterian Church in America. Julia has an M.A. in theological studies.

Jamie's vision is to see the church that exists strengthened and growing through church planting. Julia's vision for Ukraine is to see strong Christian families being established and for women to be godly keepers of the home, loving their husbands and their children (Titus 2:4,5). Please pray for the Thorntons as they serve in Ukraine by planting churches, training future leaders, and discipling young families. Also pray for their children, Nadia (9/12/98), Timothy (10/23/01), Anna (7/18/03).

A Prayer Offered at the Annual Senior Citzen's Memorial Service

Compassionate Father,

We look to you in this hour with humility in our hearts. And we acknowledge that you are the author of life, and the one who takes it away. You formed us in our mother’s womb and gave us breath. But you have also ordained the day we breath our last.

As we bow our heads, we wish to thank you for the gift of life. We thank you for the days that you have given us. You are to be praised because we know we do not deserve to experience life at all. Though we have sinned against your infinite goodness, and persistently offended you in grievous ways, you have been merciful to us, and you have granted us many days.

Moreover, you have been good in supplying a way of salvation—a way to eternal life through the Lord Jesus Christ. You saw fit to send forth your Son into this world. And you made him to die on the behalf of sinners like us. And to those who believe in him you give victory over the grave.

We rejoice that the grave could not hold him, and through him we have the hope of the Resurrection. From our hearts we unite to thank-you for the Grave Conqueror. And we commend ourselves to your continual care.

Lord, gathered here today are those who mourn the loss of friends and family. And I beseech you on their behalf. May you send forth your Spirit into their hearts to console them. I ask that you might help them to grieve. Give then eyes that look unto Jesus, the one who gives peace to ailing hearts. And may they find consolation in Him and him alone.

Our Weather Policy

Some of you may be wondering this morning whether or not we will have church due to the weather. Our policy is very complex: If you can't make it, don't come. I will be there no matter what.

New Evening Study Starting!

Beginning Sunday March 4th CRF will begin to pick through C. S. Lewis' classic work The Screwtape Letters.

Lewis' mastery of the pen and the faith always provide poignant insights into the Christian life. But this book in particular provides a glance at the psychology of sin and temptation from the side of a tenured demon.

Screwtape is a demon who seeks to advise his nephew, a young tempter, with careful instruction on how to make his "patient" stumble in his Christian walk. The reality and depth of insight into the realm of enticement and human depravity, not only captivate the reader, but help us to arm ourselves against the devil's fiery arrows.

Studies will take place in the Arts Center (209 Center St.) at 6:30 p.m.

Each evening will consist of listening to the chapter read from an audio production and discussion. Books are provided at the church, though visitors may bring their own copies if so desired.

The children will also be involved in spiritual development. Teachers will lead them from Sinclair Ferguson's faith shaping work, The Big Book of Bible Questions.

Psalm 133

Behold how god a thing it is,
and how becoming well,
When those that brethren are delight
In unity to dwell.

For it is like the precious oil
Poured out on Aaron's head,
That, going down upon his beard,
Upon his garments spread.

Like Hermon's dew upon the hills
Of Zion that descends,
The Lord commands his blessing there,
Ev'n life that never ends.

Trinity Psalter

Weakness

Most gracious and merciful Father,

We who gather here this morning acknowledge ourselves to be your unworthy servants. We know that our sins have been manifold and you have taken account of each one of our offenses. And in view of our sin, knowing it is all before your eyes, we wish to confess our sins and seek your redeeming grace.

Each of us acknowledges the fact that we are very weak. All too often we have given into temptation and all too easily we have plunged into sin. Yet even when we do battle with our flesh’s desire to sin, we find ourselves perpetually on the losing side.

Our passions rage within us and our sinful desires burn like an unquenchable fire. Indeed our struggles against temptation have been feeble at best and our attempts at godliness have been far from perfect.Lord, our hearts are evil.

This is why we beseech you this morning. For we know that you find sin to be an abomination and you will not let the ungodly see the kingdom of God.We acknowledge that you would be just in handing us over to judgment. You would be right to condemn us and subject us to the most dreadful torments.

For this reason we humbly bow before. We deserve not one of your kindnesses. But by the mercies that are pledged in Christ your Son we ask that you would pardon our failures and forgive all our offenses. We pray that you would not hold our wrong against us, nor would you take count of our sins. We beg that you would blot them out and cast them upon the cross of Calvary and upon the Lamb who was slain.

And would you send forth your Spirit into our hearts to assure us that you are indeed our Father and that we are indeed your children. Impress upon our hearts the fact that you love us with an everlasting love.

And by that same Spirit fortify our hearts against sin. Let the enticement of sin loose its fervor and sin’s grip fall away. And we also desire your word to take root in our hearts that righteousness might come forth like Spring flowers; that we might be strengthened for the fight of faith; and that we might victorious when called to war against the flesh.

In Christ's strong Name, Amen.

Community of Sin

Our Lord and our God,

You are the caretaker of the earth, and the custodian of our souls. You have seen to it that we are nourished, pampered, and well provided for in every way.

Chief among your loving providences has been the provision of loved ones. You have surrounded us with all your glorious creation, but best of all you have surrounded us with friends and family.

But we confess that we have not lived up to our responsibilities within these blessed communities.

Truly we are delinquent as families. As parents we have often neglected the proper oversight of our children: Our discipline has been all too faulty and our nurture has all too frequently been neglected altogether.

And we are just as guilty as children, having been spiteful and self seeking.

We know that we readily fall into temptation. We love to look out for our own good rather than seeking the good of others. But this has not only been true in our homes, but we are guilty of the same sin in our neighborhoods and within this sacred assembly too.

Though we have aligned ourselves with Christ, we have not been faithful to his family—to see to one another’s welfare. Indeed, even in this small gathering, where it ought to have been easy to display kindness and affection to one another, we have been negligent of our duties.

Lord, in a large church there might have been an excuse for a lack of community, but we acknowledge that we have no excuse being that we are so few. We simply are guilty of not seeking to avail ourselves to one another. We have not sharpened one another other as iron sharpens iron; we have not encouraged one another as is so often necessary; neither have we actively sought to pour our gifts and graces into each other as you have called us to do.

Lord, forgive us for these sins, and forgive us for the many other ways we have fallen short. We know that we could not begin to confess the countless ways we sin against one another.

But we know that this one thing is true: Our transgressions against one another have been sins against you. Whether we have omitted our duty, or fragrantly offended our neighbor, these acts were not confined to the earthly realm.

So this day we lift our eyes to heaven and we seek your forgiveness. And we ask that you would turn us away from our selfishness and make us to be filled with love.

We beseech you to make us resolved, that we might take seriously our vows and responsibilities. In all, we pray that we might be conformed to the image of your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who displayed his love for us in coming into this world and giving his life for us.

And it is in his blessed name that we pray, Amen.

My God, How Wonderful Thou Art

No earthly father loves like thee,
No mother half so mild;
Bears and forbears as thou hast done,
with me thy sinful child.

Stanza 5
"My God, How Wonderful Thou Art"
taken from the Trinity Hymnal
by Frededrick W. Faber, 1848

An Old Prayer for Our Modern Society

Wilt Thou not in mercy turn?
Turn, and be our life again,
That Thy people's heart may burn
With the gladness of Thy reign.

Psalm 85:6
From the Irish Psalter, 1880

The Day Will Come

Blessed God of Heaven,

As we come before you this morning we remember that there shall come a day when we are called to account for all our actions. One day the books shall be opened and all of our sins will be exposed: Be it our outward actions or our thoughts that we have kept hidden away in our hearts, all of them will be laid bear.

We know that we shall come before the bar of righteousness and be measured by your standard of perfection. This is why we bow before you today. For we know that we stand before you as guilty sinners, justly deserving your wrath. And we have no hope of life, save in the blood of Jesus Christ.

And so we humbly ask that you would forgive us for all of our transgressions. Blot them out from those books, and hear our advocate in heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ, as he pleads our case for us.

We know that we have no good excuse for sinning against you. You have been good, yet despite this, we have been rebellious. You have showered us with blessings, but we have loved the blessing more than the Blesser.

But we pray that you might not hold these errors against us, nor reject us. As we now turn to you, with grief and hatred of our sin, we ask that you would fill us with your Spirit. We pray for the indwelling of the Spirit so that we may no longer live according to our flesh’s desires. Grant us holiness we pray. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Self-Aquaintance

1. Dear Lord! accept a sinful heart,
Which of itself complains,
And mourns, with much and frequent smart,
The evil it contains.

2 There fiery seeds of anger lurk,
Which often hurt my frame;
And wait but for the tempter's work,
To fan them to a flame.

3 Legality holds out a bribe
To purchase life from thee;
And discontent would fain prescribe
How thou shalt deal with me.

4 While unbelief withstands thy grace,
And puts the mercy by;
Presumption, with a brow of brass,
Says, "Give me, or I die."

5 How eager are my thoughts to roam
In quest of what they love!
But, ah! when duty calls them home,
How heavily they move!

6 Oh, cleanse me in a Saviour's blood,
Transform me by thy pow'r,
And make me thy belov'd abode,
And let me rove no more.

--William Cowper
http://www.puritansermons.com/poetry/cowper12.htm

Our Deliverance

Infinite and Holy God,

As we come before you this morning we mimic the angels who dwell with you in heaven. Your word says that even these celestial creatures cover their faces before you. Even they cannot bear to look upon your infinite holiness.

Yes, we bow low—remembering how much more humble we should be: For we are but dust and returning to dust.

Moreover we are unholy. Justly you have cast us from your presence, exposed us to your curses, and taken away your favor. We have desired sin, and it has become our master. Now we live with all of its ailments: It darkens our understanding, fills our hearts with foolish cravings and affections, and makes us our own worst enemy.

But in you there is deliverance. No man or beast can undo what we have done. No angel or human invented religion can give us soundness of mind, peace, or eternal life. We know that only He who was offended can forgive, and only He who is mighty can restore.

We thank you that you have seen fit to send forth your Son into this world. For we know that his blood can cleanse the stain of our sin, His life can give us righteousness, and His resurrection can give us a place by your side.Lord, we look to you this morning, praying that you would raise us up. May you not look upon our offenses, but deliver us out of them. Allow us to sit with Christ in the heavenly places and serve him like the angels do in heaven.

For it is in His Name we pray, Amen.